Fundamental changes still needed in Hungary media law

New York, March 11, 2011--The Committee to Protect
Journalists calls on Hungarian and European Union authorities to continue to modifya restrictive
media law that parliament amended on Monday to comply with demands made by
the European Commission--the institution mandated with monitoring the
implementation of EU directives. Experts scrutinizing the law's modifications
say the changes fall short of Hungary's press freedom commitments as an EU,
Council of Europe, and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
member.

The law, which demands "balance" of all media, came into
force in Hungary on January 1--the same day Budapest assumed the rotating EU
presidency. It immediately became the center of a heated
debate in Europe.

A CPJ review found that the law contains broad and ambiguous
language meant to be interpreted and applied by Hungary's Media Authority, which is staffed by political
appointees. Its scope spans all media--print, broadcast, and online. It imposes
hefty fines and penalties (up to suspension of programming) on various media
outlets found in violation and imposes excessive registration requirements. In
addition to regulating domestic media, the law also applies to content "aimed
at the territory of
Hungary."

The Media Authority is staffed with appointees of the
Hungarian Parliament, which is currently two-thirds filled with members of the
ruling party, Fidesz.

"With these
amendments, the Hungarian government is merely paying lip service to upholding fundamental
principles of press freedom enshrined in the European Union," CPJ Europe and
Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova
said. "The Hungarian government must work with everyone in the press freedom
community to bring this law in line with EU's Charter of Fundamental
Rights, a bindingguarantee of freedom of expression."

The new amendments remove the demand for balance from Internet sites and
blogs; it continues to apply to print and broadcast media, Reuters reported.
The modifications also narrow the Hungarian authorities' restrictive rights
over international media working in Hungary. While registration requirements
are alleviated, they are still in place, Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported.
Similarly, a ban on offensive content, Reuters said, was softened but not
scrapped.

In a statement
Tuesday, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said Hungary
had missed an opportunity to fulfill its international commitments on freedom
of expression. "The legislation can still be misused to curb alternative and
differing voices in Hungary
despite modifications adopted following a request from the European
Commission," Mijatović said.

European
Commissioner for Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes, who worked with the Hungarian government
on amending the legislation said on Monday that the European Commission will be
"quite active in monitoring" the law's implementation, The Associated Press reported. On Thursday, the European
Parliament approved a
resolution to call for further revisions.